Chapter # 4 Unexpected customer

Amelia couldn't help but think to herself, "How unfortunate my life is." With a brief pause, she added, "No matter how many times I try to escape my misfortunes, they always find me again, as if I've issued them an invitation." She couldn't believe her luck; the Maid Café where she worked was located in a different town from her university. It seemed highly unlikely that any student from her university would come here just for a drink. She had never wanted any of her university peers to discover her job here, but today was her worst nightmare come true. The person who found her working here was none other than Damian, her rival, her worst enemy.

As she mentally scrambled for excuses and calculated how to avoid him, Amelia suddenly spoke up with a firm smile. "Oh, Master, I'm Lia, not Amelia."

Lia was momentarily confused by Amelia's words but decided to play along, assuming there must be a reason behind her friend's sudden change in demeanor. She smiled warmly and replied, "Master, I'm Amelia," as she bowed slightly and maintained her smile.

Damian, though aware of Amelia's ruse, found amusement in her act and decided to play along. "Oh, sorry," he said with a fake smile, "I thought you looked like someone I know."

Amelia returned the smile, her heart pounding with anxiety as she forced herself to keep up the charade. "No worries, Master," she said cheerfully. Pointing towards a spot in the café, she continued with a big smile, "Let me show you to your special spot where magic awaits." Inside, she was berating herself for her cheeky words, but she knew she had to keep up the act.

Damian couldn't help but smirk inwardly, thoroughly enjoying the theatrics of the situation. He followed Amelia to the corner seat as she led the way.

Once seated, Lia presented Damian with the menu, her smile polite and professional. "Master, here's our menu. Feel free to take a look and let me know if you need any help deciding."

Damian perused the menu for a moment before looking up at Amelia, a mischievous grin playing on his lips. "What are your recommendations?" he asked, his tone laced with amusement.

Amelia, masking her anxiety with politeness, responded smoothly, "Of course, Master. If you're craving something sweet and refreshing, our Milkshakes are always a hit. They come in a variety of flavors, like strawberry sparkle or chocolate dream, topped with fluffy whipped cream and adorable sprinkles. Or, if you're in the mood for something savory, our Pancakes are simply delightful, with fluffy pancakes shaped like your favorite anime characters and drizzled with maple syrup. How does that sound?"

Damian, adopting a thoughtful demeanor, responded with a light-hearted yet humorous opinion, "Hmm, I'm not really a fan of sweet things."

Amelia seethed with anger inwardly, thinking, "If you're not a fan, then why ask?" But outwardly, she maintained her polite smile and replied, "Not to worry, Master. What about omurice or delicate tamagoyaki?"

Damian, still maintaining his humorous attitude, responded, "Hmmm, it's not bad. One omurice with one black coffee without sugar."

Lia quickly jotted down his order on her notepad, and both girls responded in unison, "Certainly, Master! Thank you for your order." With that, they left his table, allowing Amelia a moment to calm her frayed nerves.

As Damian continued to gaze at Amelia, she seethed with anger and fought back tears, wishing she could disappear into the floor to escape the humiliation of her words in front of him. Once alone in the back room, she found herself unable to contain her emotions, and she began to bump her head against the wall in frustration.

Lia, concerned for her friend, approached her and asked, "Who is he?"

Amelia furrowed her brow, tears streaming down her cheeks as she confessed, "He's my class's top student, and my rival."

Lia's eyes widened in realization. "What a coincidence," she murmured sympathetically, patting Amelia on the shoulder. "Best of luck."

"Lia, Amelia! The order is ready," Mira, a young woman in her early twenties with black hair and brown eyes, called out as she readied the order.

Amelia pleaded with Lia, saying, "Lia, could you serve his order, please?"

Lia sighed and accepted her plea, responding, "Alright."

She prepared his order and carried it with her to serve him. Meanwhile, Amelia watched from afar as Lia and Damian engaged in conversation, Lia smiling as she interacted with him.

Amelia grew increasingly worried and muttered to herself, "What is taking Lia so long?"

Lia returned to Amelia, who was visibly worried and anxious, and Amelia immediately asked, "What happened?"

Lia wore an apologetic expression as she explained, "He wants a design on his omurice."

Amelia's confusion deepened. "So what? Everyone asks for that," she replied.

Lia's expression turned more concerned as she continued, "Yes, everyone does, but he's saying he wants you to make it personally."

"What?" Amelia was dumbfounded.

With a heavy heart, Lia apologized, "Sorry, Amelia. I tried to talk to him, but he insists. You have to go. He called for your service."

Amelia stood there, dumbfounded, feeling as if her entire world had frozen in place.

Lia shook her gently, reassuring her, "You have to go, you know it's the rule." In the maid café, it was customary that if a customer specifically requested a maid by name, that maid had to attend to them.

Tears welled up in Amelia's eyes once more as she cried out, "Why?"

Lia, with a sense of urgency, pushed her gently towards Damian. "Now go, or you'll lose your job," she urged.

Though she didn't want to, Amelia had no choice but to comply due to the rules of her job. With a heavy heart, she approached Damian, bowing slightly and forcing a polite smile as she asked, "Is there anything else I can do to make your experience more enjoyable, Master?"

Damian smirked inwardly, pleased with himself, but maintained a teasing expression as he said, "Yes, could you make a design on this?" He gestured to the omurice.

Amelia smiled brightly, responding, "Absolutely, Master! Let's turn your omurice into a work of art! Would you like a heart, a smiley face, or perhaps your favorite character drawn on top?"

"Hmmm, how about a cat face like you?" Damian teased, a playful glint in his eyes.

Amelia felt a surge of anger rise within her at his remark. "Like me? Do I look like a cat to you?" she thought to herself. Despite her inner turmoil, she maintained her smile and adopted a shy expression, saying, "A cat face like me? Meow, that's a first! But of course, anything for you, Master. Get ready for some paw-some artistry!" Although she felt incredibly embarrassed, she didn't let it show and began crafting a cat design on the omurice.

Amelia's full focus remained on crafting the cat face on the omurice as Damian observed her with teasing eyes. He then remarked, "Are you in your early twenties?"

Without missing a beat, Amelia replied, "Yes."

Damian continued his line of questioning, "Do you live in Moon City?"

Again, Amelia answered without hesitation, "Yes."

Damian persisted, "Do you work in a maid café?"

"Of course, can't you see?" Amelia responded, finishing her drawing. She added, "Master, here's your..."

Interrupting her, Damian fixed her with an inquisitive gaze and asked, "Your name is Amelia?"

Amelia, satisfied with her drawing, answered Damian's question with a smile on her face, "Yes, I'm Amelia." However, as Damian continued to smirk at her, she suddenly remembered her earlier slip of revealing her name.

"Hmmm, your drawing is good," Damian commented, his eyes still teasing. "A cat, like you."

Amelia felt a pang of embarrassment and wished she could disappear. She struggled to maintain her composure, forcing a polite smile as she handed him the omurice. "Here you are, Master. Enjoy your meal," she said quickly before leaving the table in haste.

Damian continued to smirk as he started eating his meal.

Meanwhile, Amelia returned to the back room, where she bumped her head against the wall in frustration, muttering to herself, "Idiot, idiot..."

Observing Amelia's distressed demeanor, Mira felt a twinge of fear and softly suggested to Lia, "Go check on her."

Lia nodded and approached Amelia with caution. "Amelia," she called softly, her voice filled with concern.

Amelia turned to look at Lia, her eyes brimming with tears. "Lia, I'm such a fool," she cried, wrapping her arms around Lia in a tight hug.

Lia gently patted her head, asking, "What happened?"

Amelia continued to cry, "I told him my name, I'm such an idiot," she sobbed, clinging to Lia for comfort.

Lia, offering an awkward smile, reassured Amelia, "It's alright." Mira shook her head in exasperation at the situation.

Zeke entered the room, calling for Lia, and glanced at the scene before him: Amelia clinging to Lia, Lia with an awkward smile, and Zeke staring at Amelia. With a sigh, Zeke said, "I'll hear you later; first comes the customer."

Amelia muttered under her breath, "Heartless," shooting a glance at Zeke, while Lia and Mira exchanged uncomfortable smiles. Hearing Amelia's comment, Zeke narrowed his eyes and threatened, "Now, will you go to work, or shall I deduct your salary?"

Amelia straightened up and forced a gentle smile. "I'm going to work. Look..." she said, gesturing towards the door.

Looking at Mira, Amelia asked with a smile, "Whose order should I take now?"

Mira couldn't believe her eyes; Amelia was now pretending as if nothing had happened. Awkwardly, Mira responded, "Table number 10, pancakes order."

Amelia took the dishes and served other customers, purposefully ignoring Damian. Similarly, Damian didn't say anything else to her and simply sat in a corner, staring at her.

Amelia felt awkward under his gaze but chose to ignore it and continued to work. As closing time approached and most customers had left, Damian remained seated.

Growing tired of Damian's stare, Amelia approached him with a soft but angry tone. "Master, do you want anything else?"

Damian shook his head. "No."

Amelia's frustration grew. "So... why are you still here?" She gestured towards the exit.

Damian smiled cryptically. "Just wanted to be."

Amelia's patience wore thin. "It's closing time now."

"So?" Damian countered.

"So, please leave," Amelia insisted, her tone firm.

Damian hesitated, wanting to ask her something. "I want to ask you..."

Cutting him off, Amelia spoke softly, "Not here. It's closing time. Let's talk later."

Damian reluctantly agreed. "Alright," he said, standing up to leave.

Amelia, still maintaining her maid persona, bid farewell to Damian with a polite tone. "Goodbye, Master! Thank you for choosing us today. We can't wait to see you again soon!"

Damian smirked and mocked her, "Yeah, me too."

Inside, Amelia seethed with anger at his words, but she kept a smile on her face as Damian exited the cafe. Lia approached her, concerned. "Amelia, are you okay?"

Forcing a smile, Amelia replied, "Yeah." Inside, she was filled with worry about what to do next. Should she tell Damian the truth? Would he believe her? Would he keep it a secret? She was fraught with questions.

As the last customer left, Zeke clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "Alright, girls, now clean up, and then you can go," he announced.

"Yes, sir," all the girls responded in unison. As Amelia changed the tag to 'close', she couldn't help but ponder, "Do I have to leave this cafe now?" Worries flooded her mind—Damian seeing her, her university finding out about her job, and potentially forcing her to quit. But she didn't want to leave; the pay was good, the manager was kind, and she enjoyed the camaraderie with her colleagues. There were five girls in total—Amelia, Lia, Ria, Sania serving, and Mira readying the orders. The cafe wasn't luxurious; it was a simple maid cafe with a modest interior design. But Amelia found solace and security here, where everyone was ready to help her anytime. She sighed deeply, then heard Ria calling for her, "Amelia, what are you doing? Hurry up!"

"Coming," Amelia replied, forcing a smile to hide her worries.

Having completed her tasks as assigned by the manager, she stole a glance at the clock—8 o'clock. Another sigh escaped her lips as she shed her uniform, exchanged farewells with her coworkers, and slipped out the back door. Then, a voice pierced the air, shattering her fleeting peace, "You kept me waiting."

Amelia froze, her heart seizing at the sight of Damian standing before her, his presence unexpected. Without a moment's hesitation, she reached for his hand, leaving Damian bewildered, as she hurriedly led him away. She couldn't risk her colleagues spotting him.

Inside Amelia's home, as Serene shuffled into the room, her yawn stretching wide and her eyes still heavy with sleep, she greeted everyone with a chipper "Good morning!" Yet, her attempt at morning cheer was met with unexpected laughter from Max and Stella, eliciting amused smirks from the others.

Perplexed by their reaction, Serene approached the twins, only to be greeted by Max's teasing tone, "Morning? It's hardly morning now," he quipped, echoed by Stella's playful jab, "More like goodnight."

Understanding the source of their amusement, Serene simply shrugged it off. "Doesn't matter," she replied with a casual wave of her hand, before settling onto the sofa next to Laura, who was engrossed in a TV drama.

After taking a sip of water, Serene looked around curiously and asked, "Where is Amelia?"

Laura instantly replied without wavering her gaze, "She's at work."

"At work?" Serene repeated curiously. "Hmm, when will she come back?"

Laura glanced at the clock and replied, "She must be on her way."

Serene nodded, then opened a packet of chips in front of her and started eating.

Laura, curious about Serene's family, asked, "Where are your parents?"

Serene simply stated, "In heaven," indicating that they were deceased.

Laura's expression turned guilty, and she apologized, "I... I'm sorry."

Serene quickly cut her off, saying, "It's alright. It's normal to ask. Also, I don't have any siblings."

Laura, understanding Serene's desire for privacy, continued to inquire, "Why did you come to this town?"

Serene replied promptly, "To see someone," showing little interest in Laura's question.

Curious, Laura pressed further, asking, "Who? Are you here to find them?"

With a smile and a finger placed on her lips, Serene cryptically responded, "Secret."

Realizing that Serene didn't want to divulge any more information, Laura ceased her questioning. She then mentioned the unsigned contract, but before she could finish, Serene interrupted, awkwardly suggesting, "Let's do it later."

As Serene ascended the stairs, avoiding further conversation and contract discussions, Laura pondered why Serene always dodged both contracts and inquiries about herself.

Serene is on the terrace, gazing at the twinkling stars, when she beckons, "You can come out."

Emerging from the darkness, a figure wearing a black cloak removes her hood, revealing a girl named Sia, appearing to be in her mid-twenties, with black hair and golden eyes. Sia, the guardian of the east territory of Terra, kneels respectfully before Serene and presents a paper to her, saying, "Queen Serenity, I have done what you wanted," with utmost politeness.

Taking the paper, Serene examines it and remarks, "Hmm, good. Now you can go."

Sia, looking worried, hesitates before speaking further, "Queen, I..." But before she can continue, Serene interrupts, sensing her hesitation, "What is it?"

Carefully choosing her words, Sia expresses her concern, "It's about Ron, he..."

"Stop," Serene interjects sharply. "If it's not about him, then speak."

Sia couldn't contain her worry as she sighed and voiced her concern, "My Queen, that girl doesn't even trust you?"

Serene, her gaze fixed upon the twinkling stars above, responded with unwavering calm, "If she didn't trust me, how could her wish ever reach my ears?"

Recognizing the futility of attempting to sway her queen's decisions, Sia sighed softly and spoke with politeness, "I hope you have a pleasant stay here, my Queen."

Serene, her brow furrowed with determination, rebuffed Sia's well-wishes, her voice firm, "Don't wish that."

Perplexed, Sia inquired, "Then what do you wish for, my Queen?"

With a subtle smirk and a piercing gaze, Serene clarified her desires, "I wish Terra is safe from him" her words a pointed reference to Ares.

Despite understanding the potential repercussions of her queen's sudden disappearance and the ensuing wrath of Ares, Sia couldn't help but sigh at the intricate web of schemes unfolding before her. Nonetheless, Serene slipped out of the palace intentionally, knowing full well the anger it would stir in Ares.

Serene gestured with her hand, saying, "Go now," prompting Sia to depart.

Sia obediently replied, "Yes, my Queen." who vanished in an instant.

As Serene hummed a tune to herself, a mischievous grin playing on her lips, she mused aloud, "How long will it take you to find me this time?" her words a teasing reference to Ares.

Gazing up at the stars, Serene's mind drifted to the image of Amelia's face as she made her wish that night. With a determined glint in her eyes, Serene whispered to herself, "Amelia, your wish will come true."